Dustin Moseley

Dustin Moseley didn’t possess a power arm. He did, however, have a 90-mph fastball thrown with precise control, a good curveball, cutter, and changeup, excellent mechanics, a strong work ethic, and a highly competitive nature. These attributes allowed the righty to get the most from his physical ability and spend parts of seven seasons in the major leagues (2006-12) before injuries prematurely ended his career.

As Reds farm director Tim Naehring said about the 6-foot-4 right-hander in 2004 spring training, “He’s not going to wow anybody with his stuff. But he will wow you with his professionalism. He will wow you with his pitching ability.”1  

Dustin Aaron Moseley was born December 26, 1981, in Texarkana, Texas – because that was where the hospital was located – but he was raised on the other side of the state line in Texarkana, Arkansas. He was the oldest of two children born to Terry and Sharon Moseley. His brother, Dylan, was born in 1986.2

Terry was a fireman and paramedic. Eventually, he became the Grounds Operator Manager of LifeNet Medical Emergency Service in Texarkana. Sharon was employed at a pharmacy and hospital before earning her college degree at age 37 and becoming an elementary and junior high teacher.3

Moseley described his father as a “hands-on, performance-driven parent” who had a profound impact on his life. Terry instilled high standards, discipline, accountability, and a strong work ethic in Dustin – and taught him to never give up.4 The elder Moseley also encouraged him to play multiple sports – including soccer and golf – and coached many of Dustin’s youth teams. Moseley worked hard to win his father’s approval and keep him off his back. His mother was the opposite: compassionate and affirming.

Moseley had early dreams of being a professional athlete. In the year 2000, his senior year at Arkansas High School, a school time capsule was opened. It revealed a note that Moseley had written as a second-grader, stating that he wanted to be a professional baseball or basketball player when he grew up.5 As a youth he played baseball in the local Dixie Youth baseball league and began pitching at age 10. He collected dozens of baseball cards of his boyhood idol, Ken Griffey Jr.6

An outstanding all-around athlete, upon reaching Arkansas High, Moseley lettered in baseball, basketball, and football. His height was an asset in basketball, which was his favorite – he averaged 20 points per game. On the gridiron, he played quarterback until giving up football following his sophomore year. But baseball was his best sport and where he garnered the most attention, earning All-State honors in both 1999 and 2000.7

Locally, Moseley’s work ethic was legendary. He fell in love with training to get stronger, often working out in dirty uniforms late at night after games.8

Moseley was not on the pro baseball radar until Chicago White Sox bird dog scout Alex Slattery noticed him in an American Legion tournament in North Little Rock, Arkansas, following his junior year. Slattery drove Moseley and two teammates to the Area Code tryouts in Chicago. Moseley made the White Sox Area Code team and was invited to pitch in events that fall against top prospects before numerous scouts. By the time he made the first start of his senior year against crosstown rival Texas High, the stands were crowded with scouts with radar guns.

In Moseley’s senior season, he pitched 101 innings and compiled a 12-2 record with a 0.76 ERA and 186 strikeouts; he allowed just 43 hits and 20 walks. He was also effective at the plate, batting .494 with 13 homers. Pitching three complete games, he led the Arkansas High Razorbacks to a state championship and was named MVP.9

For his efforts, Moseley received numerous local awards and recognition. The Arkansas Democrat Gazette named him the state’s Mr. Baseball 2000; he was also Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year. On a national scale, Baseball America ranked him 32nd in their Top 100 prospects for 2000, proclaiming Moseley “the most polished high school pitcher” and “closest to the major leagues.”10

Moseley expected to be selected early in MLB’s 2000 amateur draft that June. He said later, “I thought I would probably go in the second round.”11 To keep his options open, he agreed to play collegiately at the University of Arkansas. Moseley knew that he needed a scholarship to afford college. He originally committed to the University of Texas, which offered him a 90% scholarship. When Arkansas eventually offered a full ride, he went with the Razorbacks instead.12

As it turned out, he was picked late in the first round, 34th overall. The Cincinnati Reds used a compensatory “sandwich” draft pick they received for losing pitcher Juan Guzmán to free agency.13 Leland Maddox, Cincinnati’s senior director of scouting, praised Moseley, saying he “has three major-league pitches with command.”14

The Reds were excited about their draft class. They had taken high school shortstop David Espinosa in the first round (#23 overall) and Pepperdine catcher Dane Sardinha in the second round (#46 overall). Cincinnati general manager Jim Bowden claimed that the Reds had rated all three among the top 15 players in the country.15 He went as far to say, “It’ll probably be the best draft we’ve ever had.”16 It didn’t work out that way – Espinosa was traded after two years in the Reds organization and never made the majors; Sardinha played just two games for Cincinnati and 59 total at the top level. 17 Moseley had the best career of the trio, but his success came elsewhere.

The immediate problem, though, was getting the three prospects signed. Cincinnati had a projected revenue shortfall and the negotiation process was thorny.18 Espinosa and Sardinha, represented by agent Scott Boras, eventually signed “unprecedented bonus-free major league contracts” amid much fanfare in late summer.19 Moseley later accepted a traditional signing bonus of $930,000.20 He gave a large amount of his bonus to his church, paid off the remainder of the mortgage on his parents’ modest home, replaced his old truck with a new Yukon, and invested the rest.21

When Moseley arrived at Cincinnati’s spring training in 2001, Bowden stated, “Moseley is the best young pitching prospect we’ve had here since I got here in 1989. And it’s not even close.”22 Maddox added, “Moseley is more advanced than (former #1 overall pick) Kris Benson was in high school. He’s very intelligent and he knows how to pitch.”23

The 19-year-old Moseley was assigned to the Dayton Dragons of the Midwest League (Single-A). He started 25 games, compiling a 10-8 record with a 4.20 ERA and just 42 walks in 148 innings. “Really, over the course of the season, he became our most improved pitcher,” said Donnie Scott, Moseley’s Dayton manager, during spring training in 2002. “He started out basically just trying to throw strikes and struggled with his command a little bit early. But as the year went on, he started getting more consistent with all of his pitches.”24

In the offseason, Moseley moved to Little Rock, about 150 miles up Interstate 30 from his hometown. He hired a personal trainer to improve his strength and conditioning over the winter.25

From Dayton, Moseley moved up quickly, starting 2002 in Stockton of the California League (High-A) before being promoted to the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern League (Double-A) in mid-June. He was a combined 11-9 with a 3.40 ERA in 169⅓ innings spread over 27 starts.

After pitching well in Chattanooga for the first half of 2003, Moseley was promoted to the Triple-A Louisville Bats for a spot start on July 9. Though he was sent back down afterward, he soon returned for good, compiling a 2-3 mark in eight starts at Louisville with a 2.70 ERA in 50 innings.

While swinging a bat on August 22, Moseley injured his left (non-pitching) shoulder. He went to the disabled list but came back on September 3 and started Louisville’s first International League playoff game against the Durham Bulls. He got no decision as the Bats rallied late and won 5-4 in 11 innings.26

“I thought I pitched OK at Chattanooga,” Moseley said at spring training in 2004. “But when I got to Triple A, things kind of fell into place. I was able to throw my changeup for strikes in counts when I really needed to throw it. I felt really good, man. I wanted to pitch an extra couple of months because I was in such a groove.”27

Moseley started 2004 back in Chattanooga and had a 1-0 record with a 2.35 ERA in four starts. A lower back strain – again caused by swinging a bat – landed him on the disabled list in late April. After Moseley’s return, the Reds were looking for a spot start on June 8 from someone in their minor league system. However, Moseley (2-0, 1.91 ERA) was ruled out because he was just two starts removed from his recent stint on the DL.28

Altogether, he started four more times with the Lookouts before being called up to Louisville for the remainder of the season. There he was 2-4 with a 4.65 ERA in 12 starts; in his next-to-last outing, on August 27, he allowed two hits and two walks in seven shutout innings against Toledo.29   

The 2004 season was trying for the 22-year-old Moseley because he had to deal with family issues. These culminated with the death of his father, who had been battling the demons of methamphetamines and depression, brought on from losing his job three years earlier.30 Terry Moseley was just 47 years old.

In the spring of 2004, Reds pitching coach Don Gullett had predicted that Moseley and Louisville teammate Brandon Claussen would be “future members of the Cincinnati rotation. And it may be sooner rather than later.”31 But following the season, the Reds decided they needed more immediate help. They traded the soon-to-be 23-year-old Moseley – rated their fourth-best prospect by Baseball America – to the Anaheim Angels on December 14, for 31-year-old right-hander Ramón Ortiz.

“As much as we have high respect for Dustin Moseley, the fact of the matter is that it will probably be a couple of years before he emerges on the major league scene,” explained Dan O’Brien, who had replaced Bowden as Cincinnati general manager in October 2003.32 O’Brien’s prediction proved correct. However, the Reds got just one mediocre season out of Ortiz before he left as a free agent.

Assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake City in the Pacific Coast League in 200533, Moseley started strong, allowing no runs and just five hits while winning his first two starts.34 A shoulder injury ended his season in late July. He started just 17 games, going 4-6 with a 5.03 ERA in 82⅓ innings, by far the fewest of his minor league career.

In January 2006, Moseley married Carly Arnold. The couple had been friends since their junior high days in Texarkana but never dated until he began playing professionally in 2001. They would have two children, a son, Cooper (2010), and a daughter, Avery (2014).

Moseley credited Carly for renewing his Christian faith. “It’s been a true blessing to have Carly with me,” he said. “Being the religious person she is and having the faith she has got me through some rough stretches. I think there’s time when everyone wonders, ‘Where’s God?’ Carly helped take all the pressure off my shoulders.”35

In 2006, Moseley was 8-4 with a 3.99 ERA after giving up nine hits and six earned runs in 5⅔ innings on July 9.36 The Angels called him up to make a spot start on July 17 in place of Jered Weaver, who had biceps tendinitis. Moseley recalled that his manager in Salt Lake, Brian Harper, did not realize that Moseley had not yet been called up to the majors (because he’d come from the Cincinnati organization). Therefore, Harper did not make a big deal out of telling his player the news. He apologized upon realizing his mistake.37

In his big-league debut, against a rugged Cleveland Indians lineup, Moseley went five innings and allowed four runs on 10 hits – including homers to Travis Hafner and Jason Michaels.38 Even so, thanks to robust offensive support, he earned the victory.39

“I got to the field at two,” Moseley said afterward. “I couldn’t take it. I was looking at the clock every five minutes, I had to go to the field. I hadn’t eaten all day and I was getting hungry. I was so ready to get out there. My goal was to get to the big leagues, and it was everything I thought it would be.” He added, “It took a day or two after before, ‘Hey, I was in the big leagues.’ If that’s the only time I get up there, I’m 1-0.”40

Moseley’s next start for Salt Lake City did not go as well; Tucson pounded out nine hits and 10 runs (seven earned) in 3⅔ innings on its way to a 28-5 blowout win.41 He recovered to finish the season 13-8 with a 4.69 ERA in 26 starts.

Following the PCL playoffs, Moseley was recalled to Anaheim for the remainder of the season, appearing in relief once and starting once without recording a decision.

In 2007, Moseley won the Angels’ fifth starting spot in spring training when Bartolo Colón was ailing. After two excellent starts to open the season – he allowed one run in six innings in each – he moved to middle relief when Colón returned. He maintained that role for the remainder of the season, other than five consecutive starts beginning in late July when Colón was on the disabled list.42

On September 16, Moseley became part of a baseball milestone. After the Anaheim bullpen blew a four-run, seventh-inning lead against the Chicago White Sox, he pitched the ninth inning and allowed Jim Thome’s 500th career home run on a 3-2 pitch, giving the White Sox a 9-7 walkoff win.43

Through mid-July, Moseley was 4-1 with a 2.74 ERA in 29 games, but he ended the season at 4-3 with a 4.40 ERA in what would be a career-high 46 appearances. In the first of two career playoff appearances, he hurled a scoreless inning to end Anaheim’s Game Three loss as the Boston Red Sox swept the Angels in the American League Division Series.

Late in the season, Moseley experienced numbness in his ring and pinkie fingers; he subsequently underwent surgery on his right ulnar nerve. He was back in the Angels rotation in 2008 but struggled with a 7.30 ERA in his first five starts. Moseley was placed on the DL in early May and later admitted that he probably rushed back too soon.

After a rehab start in Class A Rancho Cucamonga, Moseley was optioned to Salt Lake. He was 7-10 with a 6.94 ERA in 20 starts for the 2008 Bees, wrapped around a fill-in start for Anaheim on July 13 in Oakland in which he gave up two runs in 5⅓ innings. Recalled when the rosters expanded in September, Moseley started four games, including a victory on September 10 against the Yankees. His final numbers in the majors in 2008 were 2-4 with a 6.79 ERA in 50⅓ innings.

The 2009 season was another physically and emotionally hard one for Moseley. Three members of the previous year’s starting rotation – John Lackey, Ervin Santana, and Kelvim Escobar – were recovering from injuries; Moseley won one of the available spots in spring training. In his first outing, on April 7, he made a quality start but got no decision. The next day, he watched his friend and teammate Nick Adenhart pitch six shutout innings in just the fourth start of his career. Shortly after midnight following the game, the 22-year-old Adenhart and two friends were tragically killed when a drunk driver ran a red light and crashed into their vehicle.

On the mound for the final game of the emotional homestand on April 12, Moseley held Boston to two runs in 5⅔ innings for what would be his only victory of the season. In his next start, he left with elbow stiffness after three innings and went on the 15-day DL.

After a bullpen session in May, Moseley felt pain in his neck and forearm. The Angels shut him down and sent him to a specialist. In late June, as his arm began to feel better, he suffered a left hip injury. It altered his mechanics, resulting in arm soreness, which ended his throwing program and put him back on the DL. He had surgery in August followed by experimental platelet-rich plasma injections to repair a torn labrum in his hip.44

Anaheim non-tendered Moseley in December, and he became a free agent. Frustrated at not being able to get healthy, he considered going to college using the $100,000 tuition money that had been included in his original Cincinnati contract should he ever decide to pursue a degree.

The turning point came on the track at the Arkansas High football field that winter. While attempting to jog with a painful catch in his hip, Moseley became angry and took off in a sprint. He heard a “pop” in his hip and then realized the pain was suddenly gone.

The Yankees were the only team willing to sign Moseley without seeing him throw. Even though he had been on a bullpen mound just once since his surgery, the 28-year-old received a minor league contract and a non-roster invitation to spring training in 2010.45

“I signed the day before camp started, and it was because I told my agent, ‘I can’t have you tell them I’m ready when I’m not,’” Moseley said. “I would never have someone question my honesty or integrity. I finally got healthy, and I called him and said, ‘Dude, I can run sprints. I can run bleachers. I can throw. I can do everything now – finally.’”46

“It was a tough year, man,” Moseley said. “But it definitely makes you thankful for the good or bad when you do go out there, and you come off the field still healthy.”47

In spring training, former Yankees pitching coach Billy Connors helped Moseley develop an effective cutter, adding a pitch to his arsenal that moved in the opposite direction of his normal repertoire.48

Moseley was assigned to New York’s Triple-A affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he was 4-4 with a 4.21 ERA in 12 starts through late June.

A clause in his minor league deal required the Yankees to promote Moseley by July 1 or lose him to free agency. He was called up just before the deadline.49 After four relief appearances he moved into the starting rotation when Andy Pettitte went on the DL in late July.50

In his first start on July 29 against Cleveland, he picked up the win with six innings of one-run ball. After a loss in his next outing, Moseley was slated to start the final game of a four-game series against Boston on Monday afternoon. However, he was pressed into service a day early when Sunday’s scheduled starter (and fellow Arkansan) A.J. Burnett felt tightness in his back on Saturday.

The night game was nationally televised on ESPN. With family and friends watching back home, Moseley outpitched Red Sox starter Josh Beckett. He picked up his 10th major league victory, allowing two runs in 6⅓ innings and striking out five; he also made three good defensive plays.51 Moseley left the mound to a standing ovation from the crowd of 49,096 and tapped the bill of his cap as he neared the dugout. “I would go home every night in spring training and dream of something like this,” he said later.52

Moseley finished the year 4-4 with a 4.96 ERA in 16 appearances (nine starts) in 65⅓ innings. In his final playoff appearance, he threw two hitless innings with four strikeouts and picked up a win against the Texas Rangers when the Yankees rallied from down 5-0 to win Game One of the American League Championship Series.53 

Though offered a contract to remain with the Yankees, Moseley, his family, and his agent believed he would fit better somewhere that he would have a chance to start. On December 13, he signed a one-year deal with the San Diego Padres for $900,000.

The 2011 season was statistically Moseley’s best, although his won-lost record did not reflect it. After three starts he had a 1.83 ERA in 19⅔ innings but was 0-3 as the Padres lost by scores of 2-0, 4-0, and 1-0. They scored in the ninth inning of his fourth start to prevent him from taking another 1-0 loss.54 Moseley finally picked up a win in his sixth start, hurling seven shutout innings at Dodger Stadium and lowering his ERA to 1.63. Three consecutive losses followed and his ERA slid back to 3.40.

On June 8 against Colorado, Moseley popped up while batting in the fifth inning and suffered a subluxation – his left shoulder slipped out of the socket and then immediately slipped back in place. He missed his next start.55

In his start on July 11, he tied a career-best with 7⅓ innings and struck out a career-high nine batters as the Padres lost in 14 innings to San Francisco.

Against Arizona on July 26, he suffered another subluxation while lining a single to right field.56 The pain quickly subsided, so he stayed in the game and pitched four more innings in what would be his final appearance of the season. He finished with career highs of 20 starts and 120 innings pitched and a personal best 3.30 ERA, but his record was just 3-10.

Although his pitching arm was fine, Moseley risked damaging his left shoulder each time he swung a bat, so in early August it was arthroscopically repaired.57 Following rehabilitation, Moseley avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to a one-year contract with the Padres for $2,012,500.

In his first start of the 2012 season, Moseley gave up five runs in five innings before leaving with pain in his pitching shoulder. He later acknowledged slight discomfort leading up to the start.58

Moseley was placed on the 15-day disabled list; an MRI revealed “damage to the rotator cuff and changes to the labrum.”59 In hopes of being ready for the 2013 season, he had surgery in late April but in December the Padres chose not to re-sign him.60 After clearing waivers, he became a free agent.

Moseley missed all of 2013 while rehabbing. In July 2014, he signed a minor-league deal with the Miami Marlins and made a start in Single-A Greensboro before moving up to the Jacksonville Suns. In his fifth start, he again felt shoulder pain while throwing a fastball. Another MRI revealed that further surgery plus more lengthy rehabilitation would be required.

After advice from a trusted doctor and prayerful consideration, Moseley chose to retire. He ended his major league career with a 15-21 record and a 4.67 ERA in 101 games (53 starts) with 199 strikeouts in 358⅓ innings.

Of the many things said of him during his career, Moseley said that San Diego teammate Will Venable paid him the greatest compliment: telling Moseley that he had a “consistent temperament” in the way he played the game, his attitude, and how he treated people.61

Moseley had long dreamed of training and developing young athletes. While rehabilitating in 2013, he began building Proformance, a 24,000 square foot training facility in Little Rock that opened in February 2014. After his comeback ended, Moseley became the full-time operator and lead pitching instructor.62

“I want to educate players, parents, and coaches on the risks of overtraining young athletes, by promoting smart functional training and the importance of nutrition and recovery.” he said.63

As of 2026, Moseley lives in Little Rock. He has been active in his community for many years, helping with the local Miracle League and working with baseball camps sponsored by Little Rock Junior Deputy Baseball. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, kayaking, and spending time with his family.

Last revised: July 15, 2026

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Dustin Moseley for his input (email, May 17, 2026) and review of an earlier draft.

This biography was reviewed by Rory Costello and David Bilmes and fact-checked by Joe Wancho.

Photo credit: Dustin Moseley, Trading Card Database.

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author also consulted Baseball-Reference.com.

Notes

1 Brian Bennett, “Moseley, Claussen May Not Anchor Bat’s Staff for Long,” The Courier-Journal, April 2, 2004: E3.

2 Dylan Moseley was selected in the 33rd round of the June 2004 amateur draft by the Cincinnati Reds. The younger Moseley opted to attend Louisiana Tech University, where he compiled a 16-14 record as a starting pitcher from 2005 to 2009.

3 From Dustin Moseley’s email to the author.

4 Dustin Moseley – How This Dad Went From MLB Pitcher To Inventor, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYAXln_L7LU, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

5 Michael Wacha & Dustin Moseley give advice to kids at Dixie Youth World Series, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn3OdvdLAac, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

6 Moseley faced Griffey one time in the major leagues. On September 5, 2008, Griffey had a bases-loaded single in the first inning of the White Sox 10-2 win over the Angels. In an email to the author, Moseley admitted, “Honestly, I don’t even remember exactly how it went, which is crazy considering how big of a moment that was for me.”

7 From the Proformance website, https://www.proformancelr.com/dustinmoseley, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

8 The Resilience Playbook, “Dustin Moseley: The Hidden Struggles of Pro Baseball and Building Mental Toughness,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kBLlNwmQSk, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

9 From the Proformance website, https://www.proformancelr.com/dustinmoseley, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

10 From the Proformance website, https://www.proformancelr.com/dustinmoseley, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

11 Tony Jackson, “Moseley Finds Field of Dream at Reds Camp,” Cincinnati Post, February 19, 2001: C1.

12 From Dustin Moseley text to the author, June 17, 2026.

13 Lonnie Wheeler, “Draft: Espinosa May Sign Quickly,” Cincinnati Post, June 6, 2000: 4B.

14 Lonnie Wheeler, “Draft: Espinosa May Sign Quickly.”

15 Chris Haft, “Red’s First Round Draft Pick Doesn’t Lack Confidence,” Cincinnati Enquirer, June 6, 2000: D5.

16 Haft, “Red’s First Round Draft Pick Doesn’t Lack Confidence.”

17 Espinosa would play 15 years in the minors and independent leagues, topping out at Class AAA. After Sardinha’s brief appearances with Cincinnati in 2003 and 2005, he played parts of two seasons with both Detroit (2008-09) and Philadelphia (2010-11).

18 Chris Haft, “Draftees May Go Unsigned,” Cincinnati Enquirer, August 19, 2000: D5.

19 Neither received a traditional signing bonus. Espinosa signed for $2.75 million over eight years and Sardinha for $1.75 million over six years. They also received a prorated share of the minimum major league salary of $200,000 for the remainder of the season.

20 Tony Jackson, “Moseley Waiting His Turn”, Cincinnati Post, March 20, 2002: 1B. 

21 Tony Jackson, “Reds: Rookie Learning from Vets at Camp,” Cincinnati Post, February 19, 2001: 2C.

22 Lonnie Wheeler, “Top Prospects Give Reds Room to Deal,” Cincinnati Post, March 31, 2001: 4C.

23 Tony Jackson, “Reds: Rookie Learning from Vets At Camp.”

24 Tony Jackson, “Moseley Waiting His Turn,” Cincinnati Post, March 20, 2002: 5B.

25 Tony Jackson, “Moseley Waiting His Turn.”

26 Brian Bennett, “Bats Rally Late, Win Game 1,” The Courier-Journal, September 4, 2003: E1.

27 Brian Bennett, “Moseley, Claussen May Not Anchor Bat’s Staff for Long.”

28 John Fay, “Reds Insider: Satisfaction Best, According to Club,” Cincinnati Enquirer, June 6, 2004: B11.

29 Kevin Kelly, “Reds Notebook: Howsam, Griffey Join Hall Today,” Cincinnati Enquirer, August 29, 2004: B17.

30 The Resilience Playbook, “Dustin Moseley: The Hidden Struggles of Pro Baseball and Building Mental Toughness,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kBLlNwmQSk, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

31 Brian Bennett, “Moseley, Claussen May Not Anchor Bat’s Staff for Long.”

32 Marc Lancaster, “Reds’ First Move of Winter Produces Starting Pitcher,” Cincinnati Post, December 15, 2004: 3B.

33 At the time, the Salt Lake team was known as the Stingers. Before the 2006 season owner Larry Miller changed the team’s name to the Bees, to honor the original PCL franchise, which played in Salt Lake City from 1915-1926. https://baseball.fandom.com/wiki/Salt_Lake_Bees.

34 Hal McCoy, “This Ryan Is No Strikeout King For Rangers,” Dayton Daily News, April 24, 2005: C6.

35 Louie Avery, “Moseying On Up,” Texarkana Gazette, September 28, 2007, https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2007/sep/28/moseying-up/, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

36 Taken from box score, https://www.milb.com/gameday/river-cats-vs-bees/2006/07/09/46902/final/box.

37 The Resilience Playbook, “Dustin Moseley: The Hidden Struggles of Pro Baseball and Building Mental Toughness,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kBLlNwmQSk, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

38 Cleveland would finish in the top 5 in the American League in batting average, home runs and RBIs.

39 The following night, Moseley’s Salt Lake teammate Joe Saunders filled in for ailing Angels starter Kelvim Escobar and allowed one earned run in seven innings to claim his first major league win in a 7-5 win against Cleveland’s Cliff Lee. It was Saunders’ first appearance in 2006 after two late-season starts in 2005.

40 Martin Renzhofer, “Bees Make Most of One-Game Call-Ups,” The Salt Lake Tribune, “July 26, 2006.

41 The 28 runs broke the modern Salt Lake City record for most runs allowed in a game. In 1923, the Salt Lake City team had allowed a PCL-record 35 in one game.

42 In an email to the author Moseley credited veteran left-hander Darren Oliver for helping him adjust to the major leagues, saying,” He showed me the ropes and took me everywhere with him. There are a lot of unwritten rules in baseball, especially for young players, and he helped me navigate all of that. He also helped me adjust to pitching out of the bullpen, which was something I had never really done growing up or in the minor leagues. Most importantly, he showed me how to treat younger players when they came up to the majors.”

43 Thome had been 0-for-11 in the three-game series before connecting for the 10th of his major-league record 13 walkoff home runs. It was the first time a 500th homer had ended a game. Frank Thomas and Alex Rodriguez had collected their 500th career homers earlier in the season; Thome’s blast marked the first time that three players had reached the milestone in the same season.

44 Donnie Collins, “Moseley Focused On Rebounding Following Rocky Year With Angels,” www.citizensvoice.com, March 12, 2010, https://www.citizensvoice.com/2010/03/12/moseley-focused-on-rebounding-following-rocky-year-with-angels/, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

45 Joel Sherman, “Moseley Unlikely Yankees’ Hero, Except To Himself,” www.nypost.com, August 9, 2010, https://nypost.com/2010/08/09/moseley-unlikely-yankees-hero-except-to-himself/, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

46 Collins, “Moseley Focused On Rebounding Following Rocky Year With Angels.”

47 Collins, “Moseley Focused On Rebounding Following Rocky Year With Angels.”

48 When Moseley first arrived in New York, he was given a sheet with a list of “ten things expected by the Yankees,” It was essentially how to be a professional ballplayer, and he was pleased to see that he already met the listed criteria.  

49 Had he not been called up or signed with another team, Moseley had interest from teams in the Japanese and Korean Leagues. The Resilience Playbook, “Dustin Moseley: The Hidden Struggles of Pro Baseball and Building Mental Toughness,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kBLlNwmQSk, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

50 The Yankees originally tried Sergio Mitre in the role but turned to Moseley when it did not work out.

51 In this game, Derek Jeter collected a second-inning single for the 2,874th hit of his career, passing the legendary Babe Ruth on the all-time major league hit list.

52 Sherman, “Moseley Unlikely Yankees’ Hero, Except To Himself.”

53 The game was played on Carly Moseley’s birthday.

54 Perhaps the only major league pitcher to suffer a worse fate was New York Mets rookie Jim McAndrew, who lost the first four games of his career in 1968 by scores of 2-0, 2-0, 1-0, and 1-0 despite a 1.82 ERA in 24⅔ innings.

55 Associated Press, “Padres RHP Moseley Injured While Batting,” Denver Post, June 8, 2011, https://www.denverpost.com/2011/06/08/padres-rhp-moseley-injured-while-batting/, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

56 The injury can be seen here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7kJWn8FdZo, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

57 Chris Jenkins, “Moseley Has Surgery To Repair Non-Throwing Shoulder,” San Diego Union-Tribune, August 4, 2011, https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2011/08/04/moseley-has-procedure-to-repair-non-throwing-shoulder/, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

58 Chris Jenkins, “News Not Good For Moseley On Latest Shoulder Injury,” San Diego Union-Tribune, April 10, 2012.

59 D.J. Short, “Dustin Moseley says shoulder surgery is ‘probably’ his ‘only option,’” www.nbcsports.com, April 19, 2012, https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/news/dustin-moseley-says-shoulder-surgery-is-probably-his-only-option, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

60 Mark Prior, Johan Santana, and Dallas Braden all had their careers end with a similar injury. The Resilience Playbook, “Dustin Moseley: The Hidden Struggles of Pro Baseball and Building Mental Toughness,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kBLlNwmQSk, (last accessed May 7, 2026).

61 Moseley made this comment as the guest speaker at the Robinson-Kell SABR meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas, on August 20, 2016. The author was in attendance and included the comment on the chapter website in a recap of Moseley’s talk.

62 In an email to the author, Moseley said that opening Proformance “gave me something positive to pour my energy into after my career ended so abruptly. I tell people all the time that building Proformance was one of the biggest things outside of my family that helped me through that transition.” The author’s son, Will McEntire, who would pitch for the Arkansas Razorbacks from 2020 to 2026, took pitching lessons from Moseley at Proformance in the spring of 2016.

63 From the Proformance website, https://www.proformancelr.com/dustinmoseley, (last accessed May 7, 2026).